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''Megarhyssa macrurus'', also known as the long-tailed giant ichneumonid wasp or long-tailed giant ichneumon wasp, is a species of large ichneumon wasp. It is a
Ext.colostate.edu (2010-05-12). Retrieved on 2010-12-17. Its wings are transparent and the body elongated. The body and ovipositor together can be more than long in the female. Males are smaller and have no ovipositor.
''M. macrurus'' is harmless to humans; they are parasitoids on the larvae of the pigeon horntail ('' Tremex columba'', Ichneumon wasp
. Insects.tamu.edu. Retrieved on 2010-12-17. Female ''Megarhyssa macrurus'' are able to detect these larvae through the bark; they paralyse them and lay their eggs on the living but paralysed larva; within a couple of weeks the Megarhyssa larvae will have consumed their host and pupate, emerging as an adult the following summer.
Essigdb.berkeley.edu. Retrieved on 2010-12-17. *''
High quality images of ''Megarhyssa macrurus''Videos of ''Megarhyssa macrurus'' Ovipositing
{{Taxonbar, from=Q6808833 Ichneumonidae Hymenoptera of North America Insects described in 1771 Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus
parasitoid
In evolutionary ecology, a parasitoid is an organism that lives in close association with its host (biology), host at the host's expense, eventually resulting in the death of the host. Parasitoidism is one of six major evolutionarily stable str ...
, notable for its extremely long ovipositor
The ovipositor is a tube-like organ used by some animals, especially insects, for the laying of eggs. In insects, an ovipositor consists of a maximum of three pairs of appendages. The details and morphology of the ovipositor vary, but typical ...
which it uses to deposit an egg into a tunnel in dead wood bored by its host, the larva of a similarly large species of horntail.
Etymology
The specific epithet of ''macrurus'' is from the Greek words ' () meaning "long", and ' () meaning tail.Description
''Megarhyssa macrurus'' has a reddish-brown body of up to long. It has black and yellow-orange stripes.Pigeon Tremex Horntail and the Giant Ichneumon WaspExt.colostate.edu (2010-05-12). Retrieved on 2010-12-17. Its wings are transparent and the body elongated. The body and ovipositor together can be more than long in the female. Males are smaller and have no ovipositor.
The ovipositor
The ovipositor looks like a single filament, but it comprises three filaments, the middle one of which is the actual ovipositor, which is capable of drilling into wood. This central filament also appears to be a single filament, but is made of two parts, with a cutting edge at the tip. The two parts interlock and slide against each other. Although very thin, the ovipositor is a tube and the egg being laid moves down a minute channel in its center. The outer two filaments are sheaths which protect the ovipositor; they arc out to the sides during egg-laying.Distribution
''M. macrurus'' is found across the eastern half of the United States, reaching into the extreme south of Canada near the Great Lakes.Behaviour
''M. macrurus'' is harmless to humans; they are parasitoids on the larvae of the pigeon horntail ('' Tremex columba'', Symphyta
Sawflies are the insects of the suborder Symphyta within the order Hymenoptera, alongside ants, bees, and wasps. The common name comes from the saw-like appearance of the ovipositor, which the females use to cut into the plants where they lay ...
), which bore tunnels in decaying wood.. Insects.tamu.edu. Retrieved on 2010-12-17. Female ''Megarhyssa macrurus'' are able to detect these larvae through the bark; they paralyse them and lay their eggs on the living but paralysed larva; within a couple of weeks the Megarhyssa larvae will have consumed their host and pupate, emerging as an adult the following summer.
Subspecies
Subspecies include:Essig Museum of Entomology CollectionsEssigdb.berkeley.edu. Retrieved on 2010-12-17. *''
M. m. icterosticta
( ; ; plural, pl. ; ; 1512, from Middle French , literally "my lord") is an honorific title that was used to refer to or address the eldest living brother of the king in the Ancien Régime in France, French royal court. It has now become the ...
'' Michener, 1939
*''M. m. lunator
( ; ; pl. ; ; 1512, from Middle French , literally "my lord") is an honorific title that was used to refer to or address the eldest living brother of the king in the French royal court. It has now become the customary French title of resp ...
'' (Fabricius, 1781) - considered a synonym of ''M. m. macrurus'' by Carlson (1979)
*''M. m. macrurus
( ; ; pl. ; ; 1512, from Middle French , literally "my lord") is an honorific title that was used to refer to or address the eldest living brother of the king in the French royal court. It has now become the customary French title of resp ...
'' (Linnaeus, 1771)
References
External links
High quality images of ''Megarhyssa macrurus''
{{Taxonbar, from=Q6808833 Ichneumonidae Hymenoptera of North America Insects described in 1771 Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus